Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) Practice Questions 2026 – All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

The correct answer highlights the establishment of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was enacted in 1978 as a response to concerns about government surveillance overreach, particularly in the wake of the Watergate scandal. FISA was designed to create a legal framework for the monitoring of foreign intelligence activities conducted by the government, establishing procedures for electronic surveillance and physical searches.

The key aspect of FISA is that it imposes requirements for obtaining court approval for surveillance activities, which serves to protect the privacy rights of U.S. citizens while allowing the government to gather intelligence necessary for national security. In this context, it provides oversight and accountability mechanisms to ensure that surveillance is conducted lawfully.

In contrast, the other options provided are related to surveillance and privacy but do not specifically address the regulatory framework established directly after the Watergate scandal. The USA Patriot Act, for example, was enacted in response to the 9/11 attacks and expanded surveillance capabilities, while the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (EPCA) and the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) pertain to specific aspects of electronic communications and law enforcement access. Thus, among these choices, FISA is the most relevant act tied to regulating government surveillance in the post-Watergate